Burnt
by Yum2
Summary: My left hand meets the smooth skin of my cheek but my right hand doesn't meet smooth skin...' Read and review


Hi,

I do not own Naruto.

This Story has been re-written and made into a one-shot because it was easier to re-write that way. Nothing much had been added.

**Warning:** In this story, Sasuke came back to Konoha after losing the battle of the valley of the end. Chouji, Sasuke, Neji and Shikamaru are Jounin. Sakura and Hinata are Chûnin working to become medic. The other are Chûnin as well. Oh and Naruto is ANBU (because I like it this way)

Story was once Beta-ed by **Krow's scared**! Thanks! This version had not been beta-ed and thus may contain mistakes. Please forgive me for this, I've tried to get ride of all of them but I'm human and 'errare humanum est' ne?

Thanks to all reviewers: **KunochiDreamer;**** Aregashi; BossyEmu; ****anti-thule;****Wulfenite; ****Fei03; ****El Gaara; ****FMA-lover16; ****wolfkiss; ****Ardonius-Servant-Of-Zeta; ****MysteryLady-Tx; ****Patch5129; ****LanierShazar; Bloody Wing; ****KunochiDreamer; ****dannachan; ****Uzamaki-Girl; ****Shadow-Sensei** (miss you! Where have you gone?)**; ****DemonNaruto; ****demon-dragon-slayer3193;****Tyr'll;**** Jelp; ****Reject From The Back Of The Bus;**** conlan0414863;**** Nomanic;****silvertornado; ****Chiron2104;**** Thread-Sage;**** StarsOfYaoi **(there all done the improve (or so I hope) version of Burnt)**;**** hinshihoushi;**** Byakugan Hyuga;**** Dragon Noir; ****geka0taitsume0taikaiyou; ****Eleirah; darkchild; sendoh11; xXShadowedfateXx; FISHTaNK the Evil Fangirl; DarkRavie; Kitty Meow; jozs001; Ore no Naruto** and finally** Fox Loves Shinigami!!**

Now the story...

'thoughts'

"speaking"

_Mind scape/ Inner voice_

_**Kyûbi**_

Flash Back

-.-

**Burnt**

**-.-**

**-.-**

Sasuke POV:

-.-

Today was the day for their stupid monthly 'Genin team' mission. He hated this tradition! It was the idea of that fool of a woman who had been chosen to be Hokage. He could still hear her nagging voice explaining her idea to the Shinobi:

"To keep the ties to the village so that an other incident like the valley of the end does not happened ever again.'"

Numerous glares had turned his way that day, clearly disgusted with his attitude. At the time, Sasuke did not see the error of his way and still fumed over his defeat holding a childish grudge against Naruto for dragging him back in this hellhole. Now he knew: He would never make it to ANBU. Even though he got out of his little stank unpunished, no Shinobi had forgotten about it. And every day, he cursed himself for his weakness.

Sasuke shocked out of his though, looking around him: Naruto was late. Even later than Kakashi and speaking of whom he had not even given one of his stupid excuses this time, just gone directly to speak to Sakura. If anything, that was odd, maybe something had happened to Naruto.

'I bet he once again came back cover with injuries from his mission and can't even move, that Idiot.' Sasuke though kicking the dust.

He glanced at the duo whispering urgently together, something about Tsunade needing to see Sakura. Apparently, Sakura was going to reach the last stage of her apprenticeship with the Hokage after two years of intensive training. Or that was what Sasuke caught from the conversation not that he was interesting in what was said but any occasion was good for training.

"Go NOW Sakura, and hurry!" Kakashi ordered.

Sasuke shuddered in disgust as Sakura glanced longingly at him. He did not like the clingy pink haired girl. In his opinion, she would never make a good ninja with her ever so volatile personality but it seem that Kakashi and that crazy Hokage thought otherwise.

"Now about the mission..." Kakashi turned toward him advancing slowly.

"What about Naruto?" Sasuke interrupted.

He glared at his mentor, showing that he would clearly not take any bullshit and that whatever Kakashi was going to answer would be dutifully verified by the over-zealous UCHIHA.

"Sasuke, Naruto has been removed of active duty. He won't do the mission." Kakashi answered looking sternly at the UCHIHA.

He would not know more, at least not coming from Kakashi. He would look into it himself then, unfortunately it would not be before finishing that stupid mission. He glared a last time at the retreating back of his ex-teacher. How he hated those monthly mission.

-.-

Naruto POV:

-.-

Naruto was lying on a bed anchored to several machines. He could only hear their slow and regular "bip"and the sound of quiet breathing. These were only distinctive sounds in the room. He opened his eyes or rather he attempted to, but, no matter how hard he tried, he could not open his right eye, only the left.

There was something in his throat, it hurt. He tried to breath but he could not, the constant bip of the machine became erratic as he tried and tried to breath fighting against the machine. He turned his head to the right looking for someone, anyone for help. Everything was blurry, but he could see a form leaning on his bedside; he winked the only eye he had managed to open until he could make out a form. It was Tsunade-baba.

What was she doing there? Better yet what was HE doing here? And where was here exactly?

Naruto tried to call out for Tsunade, feeling his heart beating faster and faster, hearing the erratic bip of the machine. The nose must have woken Tsunade up because the next thing Naruto knew was that she was standing at his side quickly taking a hold of the tube.

"Spit!" She ordered sternly.

Naruto could feel the tube scratching his throat as she forcefully removed the evil tube. He coughed up a few time, tears forming in his eyes. Tsunade pushed a water glass on his lips, the liquid smoothed his hurting throat a bit.

"Wha... what happened?" Naruto asked, his voice was hoarse and broken.

It hurt to speak but the most worrying thing was that Naruto could not feel anything on the right side of his face apart from a dull ache.

His eye searched for an answer in Tsunade's eyes. But she immediately turned her head, looking everywhere but at him.

"What happened?" Naruto whispered again, he felt blood on his taste buds.

He remembered the mission: he had to get a scroll from a TAKAMOTO man by seducing him. It was an A ranked mission, nothing too difficult and as always he completed his mission quickly and efficiently. He was on his way back to Tsunade's office, he remembered feeling unusually tired even though he had not used any chakra for this mission and suddenly everything went blank. He could not remember anything apart from pain all over his face and his chest and arm.

He stared at Tsunade who was avoiding looking at him. Dread filled his heart as he lift his trembling hands to his face. His left hand meet the smooth skin of his cheek; but his right hand did not meet smooth skin...

-.-

Tsunade POV:

-.-

Naruto sat on his bed looking at Tsunade but she could not meet his painful confused gaze so he reached for his face with both hands. She watched him silently dread feeling her heart as his expression changed from confusion to understanding. Tears began to fall from his single good eye. The other forever closed, she shuddered at the though of what had happened to her dearest Naruto.

"They... " he began quietly.

She was on the edge of the uncomfortable chair looking at his face for any change of expression, waiting for him to continue.

"Just because..." He tried to continue.

She wanted to ask him who?! Who did that to him?

But, at the same time, she was too afraid of what the answer would be. Even if it was the villagers who attacked him, he would not tell her. He had never told her when something like that happened. She only knew because of the rumors going around the tower, the villagers gloating about their exploit.

What could she had done then? When Naruto refused to speak about it, pretending he hurt himself during mission when it was clearly a lie. She had never pushed him to talk. And now, now, she regretted it. She should have asked, she should have pushed him to speak. But she was a coward. And now Naruto paid the prize of her incompetence.

She bit her lower lip as she saw Naruto curling on himself in a foetal position turning his back to her chanting under his breath over and over again:

"It's not my fault... it's not my fault... It has never been my fault..."

As minutes passed, his chanting dissolved into sobs and finally he was bawling out his misery. Tsunade had never seen him like this before and it was breaking her heart. She realized that she once again failed someone she loved, unable to protect what was dear to her heart.

"Tsunade-sama..." Shizune began effectively pulling Tsunade out of her thoughts, her eyes drifting over to the bed and the source of the sobbing noises.

"Naruto?" The young apprentice cried hurrying to his side.

But he did not answered instead he whimpered pitifully not even raising his eyes to Shizune.

"Naruto..." She tried to soothe him hoping for an answer, but he simply pulled further in on himself, burying his face into his clenched arms.

"D-Don't..." he sobbed. "D-Don't touch me... Don't come near me."

His small frightened voice was so unlike him. Kneeling before him, Shizune extended a hand to stroke his hair, but he winced away from her touch. And she slowly pull away a trembling hand.

"Tsunade-sama, what happened?" She asked, trying to keep her tears from falling. "Who could have done this to him?"

Her tears were now trailing slowly down her face. It was then that Tsunade knew: Shizune had seen his face. No matter how many burns you saw as Ninja or Medic, it was something that you could never get used to: smooth skin melted into an unnatural mess and the smell of the burnt flesh.

"I don't know." Tsunade finally answered, admitting her own shameful ignorance.

Tsunade closed her fists tightly in a desperate attempt to calm herself, spots of blood dripped on the clean floor as her nails dug into the flesh of her palms. Her anger and self loathing growing steadily as she looked at the pathetic sobbing mass that was her beloved Naruto.

She could have avoided it!

The sound of Naruto's muffles sobbing broke the silence and she blinked twice. She looked back at Shizune, demanded to know why Shizune had bothered her when she had clearly order not to.

"HARUNO Sakura is waiting in your office." Shizune answered the unasked question quietly, bitting her lip.

"Fine." Tsunade stood up Anger radiating from her powerful form.

Shizune winced slightly as Tsunade glowered at her.

"Stay with him." She ordered harshly. "And this information is classified and must not leave this room, understood?"

Tsunade knew she would not breath a word of this, but she could not stop herself, she needed to say it.

"Yes, Tsunade-sama." She understood Tsunade's unspoken need, she could tell from long association.

Sitting by Naruto's side, Shizune watched him worry creasing her face as Tsunade exited the room only hearing the sobs of her brother figure. Those who had done that would pay dearly for their treason.

-.-

Sakura POV:

-.-

She had been standing in the Hokage's office for fifteen minutes now, fifteen very long minutes. And after waiting for an hour an a half for Kakashi to show up, her patience was coming to an end. She knew that something important must have come up for Tsunade not to be on time. Punctuality was one of the quality Tsunade appreciated the most. And Sakura always did her best to please her. Afterall her carrier depended on Tsunade and if she wanted to keep up with Sasuke, she needed to be at her best.

_¤ The hag is robbing our time with Sasuke-kun! ¤_ Her inner voice interrupted.

As a matter of fact, she was. Sakura had realized long ago that those monthly mission with team 7 was her only way to have some time with HER Sasuke-kun. Even if it meant that she had to share it with that annoying Naruto, it was better than nothing, ne?

Of course she understood that since Sasuke was a Jounin, he had a busy schedule and that he could not always made time for her. Of course it was not because he was trying to avoid her like Ino pretended: Sakura reasoned that it could not be since they were meant to be together and Sasuke being the handsome intelligent man he was, had surely already realized that. She had concluded that he was too busy or maybe was he too shy?

_¤ Love can overcome anything! ¤ _Her inner-voice cried.

'Yeah one day, I'll be Mrs UCHIHA! Take that Ino-pig!'

The sound of the door opening pull Sakura out of her thoughts and she turned around to see Tsunade-sama entering, a weary look on her face.

'Someone did not sleep well last night...' Sakura thought with a little smile. 'Maybe the old hag finally got laid?'

It would certainly do her some good. She was always so short tempered. And generally her bad mood got out on her which was profoundly unfair since she would never yell at Shizune.

She watched silently as her mentor sat behind her imposing wooden desk and motioned her to sit as well. She obeyed silently. The silence stretched out as the Hokage glares at her, it was very uncomfortable.

'Now I know that Tsunade definitely did not get lay.' Sakura though feeling the anger radiating anger from her boss.

Sakura tried to hold back her sigh, she would once again be at the receiving end of the Hokage anger. She watched as the Hokage folds her hands under her chin like she always do when she got serious.

"HARUNO" she began, her voice icily cold and devoid of any emotion.

This was bad! She had never called her by her first-name before: it had always been Sakura or Sakura-kun but never had she called her HARUNO.

Briefly Sakura wondered who was the imbecile who angered the Hokage, must be someone of importance for Tsunade not to take their anger out on them.

"From now on, you will report to the Hospital to take your new job." The older woman explained her cold brown eyes fixed on Sakura waiting for her reply.

"Why?" Sakura asked not able to stop herself.

As soon as the word left her mouth she knew she had done a mistake. She should have just raised and go on her way but no she just had to let her curiosity get the better of her and now she was up to one hell of a bashing.

"Do not question your Hokage's order and you're no longer my apprentice." Tsunade yelled raising from her sit.

_¤ WHAT! ¤ _Her Inner Sakura screamed.

"B-But..." her mouth was dry and her stomach felt like it was full of moths fluttering around.

Sakura blinked several time trying to understand: just yesterday, Tsunade had told her she was doing fine and now...

"HARUNO, do not dare question my order! You'll report to your new post immediately!" Tsunade added glaring daggers at the teen girl cowering in front of her.

Sakura slowly stood up, shaking slightly and trying to understand what on earth could have happened. Unable to stand Tsunade-sama's angry cold stare anymore, Sakura bowed and left the office staring at the ground.

-.-

Sasuke POV:

-.-

Sasuke hated those monthly missions. It was always a D-ranked one and today was one of the worst yet: helping the Fire Lord's teenage girl with her shopping.

Just great!

He got to carry all her bags as she kept hitting on him every chance she got, even pinching his ass. Sasuke took a deep breath: no, he could not kill the annoying pest, nor could he abandoned her in some desert alleyway. This was mission, and as annoying as it was, Sasuke had learnt long ago that the client had all the right as long as they paid the adequate fee.

"This is the last one, Sasuke-kun!" The peroxide blond said looking at Sasuke like he was some kind of living god.

She winked suggestively at him, her red plastered lips forming a seductive smile or rather what she thought to be a seductive smile which would have been more efficient if she had not put lipstick on her whitened teeth. She definitely wore too much make-up, Sasuke thought watching as the foundation on her cheek began to cracked forming wrinkles like line on her cheek.

"We can go to the café, after we have finished." She was fluttering her eyes at Sasuke.

Sasuke shuddered.

Why was he alone?

He nearly regretted Sakura's absence. She may have been a clingy banshee but she would surely have been of some use to tame that make-up monster.

"I can't. I have missions waiting for me." Sasuke lied through his teeth, better not let her see any hope.

"Oh..." She stood there pouting like some five years old to whom a candy was refused.

Sasuke nearly let out a sigh of relief. Now, he could begin to investigate that lie Kakashi had tried to feed him: Naruto off active duty? The stubborn blond would never allow that even on his death bed!

Arriving in front of the Fire Lord summer house in Konoha, Sasuke dropped unceremoniously the shopping bag in front of the door, not even bothering with a goodbye his client.

-.-

Naruto POV (mind scape):

-.-

Naruto was sitting in front of Kyûbi's Jail examining the crippled gates.

_Kyûbi?_

The seal had been severely damaged and now the gates were half open, giant rail like eaten by rust looked like they would collapse any moment.

_**I'm here, Brat. **_ A strong bariton voice answered a moment latter.

A young man in his mid twenties walked over Naruto. He had long silky reddish hair, strong square jaw set, red slitted eyes glittering in the dark of the room. He wore a thin white wife beater which let appeared his chiseled chest, and his strong legs were wrapped in a leather pants. All in all, the figured screamed of power.

_You stayed? _Naruto asked clearly surprised

_**Yeah **_Kyûbi answered matter-of-factly.

_You could have taken over and escaped... why didn't you? _Naruto questioned.

_**I don't know... honestly. **_

Naruto snorted inwardly, what was he hoping for? Kyûbi declaring his undying love for him? Who would like a disfigured monster like him anyway?

_Can you make something for my face?_

Naruto knew that if he could have, Kyûbi would have already done so but hope was not a bad thing, he did have a lot but it never led to anything but hurt. Maybe he should stop hoping altogether, it would certainly hurt a load less.

_**I cannot, it's outside my field of knowledge. I don't know how to fight against this sort of burns. **_

Was it sadness that lingered in the great beast voice?

No, Naruto must have imagined it, it was clearly impossible. He laugh inwardly at his own stupidity.

_Because they are chemical? _Naruto asked.

Hope that someone, even a monster like Kyûbi, would care for him burning in his heart. Stupid feeling that hope was: One you can never let go of. One which constantly led you to pain.

_**Yeah... I can heal about anything: illness, broken bones, poisons, cuts, bruises, fire and freeze burns... but I can't do much against this chemical burns. **_Kyûbi answered his eyes fixed on the small form before him.

_Why? _

The fox was so cruel, to make him believe that he was cared for. Naruto gritted his teeth waiting for the monster to laugh at his face telling him that he was all powerful but did not see the necessity to heal the puny weak human who got caught and punished for his stupidity. He was fully prepared to heard the hurtful word of the beast as he mocked Naruto's faith in humanity, as Kyûbi, he imagined, would describe his agony in a lustful voice just waiting for more.

_**Because everyone and everything has a weakness... **_The fox said in a sad voice.

Naruto felt a tear slowly roll down his cheek. Hope once again had deceived him.

-.-

Tsunade POV:

-.-

Tsunade looked down at the report in front of her.

"They weren't after the scroll?" She asked lifting her eyes to meet the Jounin's single visible eye.

"No." Kakashi answered in a grave voice.

Tsunade watched him intently as he searched in his pocket and took a scroll out.

"This was the scroll that Naruto had when I found him."

Tsunade took the scroll and examined it: No mistake, it was what the client had asked for. Tsunade bit my lip and snorted but in reality She just wanted to break down sobbing. If the circumstances had been any different, she would have laughed.

FLASH BACK:

Tsunade had been glaring at Naruto who had been standing in front of her tapping impatiently his foot on the floor. She really had not wanted to give him this mission, she had a bad feeling about it but there was no choice, was there?

The client had been quite clear: The target was a rich man who loved teenage boys especially blond ones as they were rare in our country.

"He loves what's rare." The client had said while she had given the mission's specifics.

"This mission will be very difficult." Tsunade had scolded at the impatient brat.

"Yeah Tsunade-baba, stop mothering me already!" he had complained.

She had smirked at his antics. She just loved his disrespectful way like her little brother: Not showing respect through words but through attitude. A much more truthful respect than any of her Shinobi had ever shown her.

"It's an A-ranked mission. You'll have to retrieve a scroll named: 'Sakura no Hana special'. It's a very rare old scroll. The person you have to steal it from is a man whose name is TAKAMOTO Shuri. All the information are in this scroll, read it and destroy it. I'm trusting you with this." She had told him tossing a scroll to him.

"Yeah Tsunade-baa-san. Don't worry about me..." He had answered making his way out of the office a grin firmly placed on his face.

FLASH BACK END.

Tsunade blinked her eyes and looked down at the scroll, it was not old, which did not meant it was not rare, but the common pattern decorating the edge made it look so... ordinary. Her eyes widened: The client! She had insisted that it was a rare old scroll, unique she had said. She could not wait to have her hands on it and she was even ready to double the fee for the mission to be executed the very same day.

Dread filled Tsunade as she opened the scroll not paying attention to the shocked gasp that escaped Kakashi's lips, and she silently read it.

"Rare!" She burst bitterly, "Just a scroll about how to take care of Sakura when it's blooming something you can find in the YAMANAKA flower shop for next to nothing."

She began to hyperventilate as she understood the meaning of all this. This was just a trap for Naruto: The specifics: a blond teenager boy which only left Naruto as a possible candidate, the pressing matter, the double fee... And she, as the greedy old idiot she was, dived head on in it head first. She should have saw it coming, damn it! Afterall, it was not the first time such a plan was used and she had always see through but this time... she had not been watchful enough maybe because none of the previous attempt had asked for an A-ranked mission with a double fee.

Greed! She was just an old greedy woman, and her greediness once again led her to fail one of her precious people.

"They will pay..." She whispered more for herself than for the livid Kakashi still standing in front of her, anger sipping from every pores of her skin.

Her face formed an horrible snarl as she sized a piece of paper from her drawer, she took a pen and gripping it firmly nearly slapping it in half, she began to draw. With ample determined mouvement, she draw a quick sketch of the client face, taking great care of adding any peculiar details that would made her more recognizable.

"Call Ibiki." She barked at her secretary as the young woman entered the room.

She exited quickly, stumbling on her feet. Tsunade turned her cold eyes to Kakashi and her eyes went soft as she saw the lines of worry on the normally emotionless Shinobi.

"You surely want news." She asked her voice calmer and softer than before.

He nodded.

"Naruto woke up..." She said quietly.

"Did he... did he say who...?" But it seem as if he already knew the answer.

"No, he wouldn't." Tsunade confirmed.

Tsunade knew very well that this was partly their fault: They had ignored the signs, forgone the fact that Naruto had always been the type to take the hit and not retaliate when it came to the villagers. And when they had been put in front of the evidence not even two months ago, they had let it slid thinking that it was just an isolated accident, that it would not go any further. They had been wrong!

Maybe they had put too much faith in the villagers?

A knock at the door echoed in the silence and Ibiki stepped inside the Hokage's office as Kakashi exited the room with a new mission.

Tsunade looked over at Ibiki standing tall before her desk.

"Find me this girl." She said in a cold voice. "I want her arrested and I want YOU to interrogate her personally."

"What are the charges?" Ibiki asked in his cold professional voice.

"Attempted murder of a citizen of Konoha and treason." Tsunade answered coolly.

"Hai, Hokage-sama."

She caught the glimpse of anger on Ibiki's face, she knew that whoever was the victim, Ibiki would do his work correctly.

"Ibiki, I want her accomplice too." Tsunade added. "And an accurate recount of the crimes."

"It will be done, Hokage-sama." Ibiki bowed before disappearing in a cloud of smoke.

-.-

Shizune POV:

-.-

He finally calmed down falling asleep tears rolling down his face. Shizune slowly covered his small frame with the blanket a sad smile on her face.

She examined his small form: even though he was fifteen and should be sturdier like the other boy his age, he was petite and curvy like a woman. Shizune could easily guessed the causes: unfit diet -surely consisting of too much of Ramen, lack of calcium, lack of proper sleep, starvation...

She remembered when he told them during a check-up that his care-taker had left him days on without neither drinkable water or food when he was a child.

FLASH BACK:

Naruto clad in his trade mark orange attire had been standing in front of her for his first medical report ever. She had been quite curious as to why Naruto had not passed the require medical visit before the Genin exam nor before the Chûnin one. She had guessed that maybe it had been because of his having the Kyûbi. She had scolded at the though of those Medic who had sworn an oaf and had not respected it. She had seen that that unprofessional attitude came to an end.

After running several test, she had asked for Naruto to take off his shirt. And what she had seen, still gave her nightmare: he was so thin that his ribs were slightly poking out of his skin, the angry red color of the spiral seal on his stomach glittering brightly on his tan skin darkening the surrounding skin.

"Why?" Shizune remembered muttering in her shock.

"Ah it's not that bad, really." He had answered smiling happily, rubbing the back of his head. "You see, that has advantages, I can go on many days without food and hide under water much longer too."

That day, Shizune had sworn to herself not to let anything happened to Naruto again.

FLASHBACK END.

A tear slided down her cheek, she felt so useless. She sat down quietly next to Naruto stroking his hair lovingly.

"Naruto..." She whispered, "I promise that Tsunade-sama and I will protect you. We won't ever fail you again."

She kissed the top of his head and began to tend his burns with the loving care of a sister.

-.-

Sakura POV:

-.-

Sakura arrived at the hospital just on time, or that what she thought. Because as soon as she set foot in the hospital, a white clad demon known as nurse, hurled her up.

"HARUNO Sakura?" She asked her voice filled with anger.

Sakura nodded shyly, not understanding why the nurse would be angry at her.

Was she late? But how is that possible? She just went to her house to get a change and put on some blouse, It only took her half an hour.

"You're late." The brown haired nurse scolded.

Before Sakura could even protest, the nurse had grasped her arm. In a vice like grip. She walked briskly dragging behind her a confused Sakura.

"You'll work in the emergency." She began while showing Sakura around: the rooms, the patients, presenting the other nurse and doctors and stopping in front of a wide white board. "This is the patient Board. It's where the name of your patient is, you take the files then you see the patient, present the case to a graduated doctor, then tend their injuries, you completed their files and following the diagnosis you made, you make sure the room is freed as soon as possible and go onto the next patient. You don't take any decision without the agreement of one of the graduated doctor. You answer to me and to no one else! I don't want you running around errands for other because you're too weak minded to stand up for yourself. You do all the exam you prescribe yourself. Your day begins at 6 o'clock and finishes twelve hours later. If, and only if, all your patients have been seen. Understood?"

Sakura nodded weakly avoiding to look at the head-nurse's eyes.

"Good. Have a nice day then. Oh, and tomorrow, don't be late or it will be reflected in your salary." The nurse added harshly as she made her way to one of the green curtain.

Sakura looked up at the patient Board, she already had three patients waiting for her. She sighed as she took the three files looking through them: an eight years old boy complaining from stomach ache; a drunkard who got into a brawl and was now sporting a cut over his eyes; and a women who had burnt herself cooking.

Sakura slowly stepped into the waiting room and called her first patient. It would be the woman with the burn on her right hand first. The drunkard could be left to sleep off his drink, and the child was surely just a case of gastro-enteritis or something along the line. The burn would definitely be more interesting and easy to treat too.

"Mrs T." She called out her patient name in the crowded waiting room.

A mid-thirty gaunt woman raised from the darkest corner of the waiting room. She was frantically looking around, her grey eyes widened as she looked for any sign of danger. She slowly walked up to Sakura, her bared right arm cradled to her chest as she blow over the burned skin in hope to lessen the hurt. Sakura quietly led her to an empty bed and sitting her patient on it and the briskly closing the curtain for intimacy.

"So what's your name?" Sakura began looking done at her files, honestly Mrs T. did not satisfy her.

But the woman just ignored her. Sakura frowned and pass to the next question.

"Do you have any allergies?" Sakura asked in a monotone voice.

"I'm not here to speak of my life, just heal me!" The patient snapped irritably, glaring at the pink haired teenager.

"How did you burn yourself?" Sakura continued ignoring her.

"I have already told I burnt myself with the hot water for my pasta." The woman growled sputtering all over Sakura's face.

Sakura gritted her teeth in annoyance. She took a deep breath, she could not lost her patience like she usually did with annoying people like Naruto or that woman. She knew that patience was a key quality in both the professions she had chosen. But she was not patient, she never was... She could not stay calm face with annoying people.

Maybe that was why the Hokage send her here: to work up on her patience?

Sakura smiled to herself. If that was it she would take up the challenge. She could picture her inner-self screaming that she would conquer it all. She smiled a bit feeling like Naruto setting herself goals that seemed unaccessible. But hey, if Naruto managed to enter the ANBU -that she knew because she had sneaked around Tsunade's files in hope to learn when was Sasuke's next mission- she could be patient!

"If you want me to heal you, I have to know what type of burn it is." Sakura explained trying to hide her irritation.

The woman bit her lower lips, her eye-brows set in an ugly frown as she looked suspiciously at the pink her medic-wannabe, cradling her arm nearer to her chest. Sakura looked warily at the angry red patch of the skin covered with swellings.

What did the woman do to burn herself so badly? And more important with what?

Sakura had studied burns in her medicine books Tsunade ordered her to read she even had a test to heal the most common type of burn on pig skin, and Tsunade had told her she had done wonderfully. But no matter how much she tried, she could not remember having ever seen that sort of burn.

She was put out of her musing when a tall Jounin suddenly appeared before her patient and grabbed her hands.

"By order of the Hokage you are under arrest for the attempted murder of a fellow citizen and for treason." The tall Jounin said darkly.

Sakura just stared at them, eyes wide and mouth agape. Her first real case was a murderer... she could have killed her!

Sakura looked up at the Jounin, it was this weird man who had been in charge of the first part of her first Chûnin exam: Ibiki or something like that. He roughly took her patient's arms and lifted her off the bed, pushing her out of the makeshift room as she was screaming and kicking.

"I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WRONG! I JUST SAVED THIS VILLAGE! THAT MONSTER GOT WHAT IT DESERVED!" She was yelling hysterically.

Sakura was livid as she watch the Jounin walked calmly away, twisting her burned arm behind her arm pushing his way out of the hospital, deaf to her plea.

-.-

Naruto's POV (dreaming):

-.-

Naruto was once again standing in front of the rusty dilapidated gates of Kyûbi's jail, eyes cast down looking at the waters' slight movement, listening to the constant dripping sound: 'Plic Ploc Plic Ploc'.

_I don't think I've ever thanked you for all you've done for me... _Naruto began looking down at his feet not wanted to face the glare of the great beast which he knew was now standing in front of him.

_**What are you talking about? **_The baritone voice of Kyûbi echo-ed in the empty jailed.

_I don't think I can continue... _Naruto said in a uncharacteristic defeated voice.

_**Kit!**_

Naruto raised his head in surprise at the tone of Kyûbi's voice. There was a strange gleam in those demonic eyes, was it sadness?

_I don't want to go back... to that world where everyone hates me... I can' stand it anymore..._ Naruto supplied feeling the need to justify himself to the demon.

_**It's not like you to let yourself be taken down like this...**_Kyûbi said wrapping his tails around Naruto, the rusty barred doors crumbling down as Kyûbi made its way to Naruto.

_What is like me? I'm a fake, there's nothing true about me... like they said: I'm just a demon trying to disguise myself as a sheep... _Naruto added in a strong voice trying to free himself from the comfortable heat of Kyûbi's tails

Kyûbi took an other step to Naruto as the gates collapse out of existence. This was it Naruto though, this was the end. Kyûbi too would abandon him, forsake him and leave him to die.

_If It's what I am, why do I continue to fight it? What am I?_ Naruto continued looking down at his feet again.

If Kyûbi was going to leave him then be it. But he would make it know to the beast, how he suffered because of it. He knew he had Kyûbi's undivided attention, as he could feel those crimson eyes looking down at me.

_Kyûbi, can't you tell me? Who am I? What am I? _Naruto pleaded with the beast.

There was an echoing silence as Naruto watched Kyûbi tilt his head to the right, eyes fixed on his and slowly its jaundiced fangs appeared in what could be mistaken for a smile.

_**You're yourself. You're a puzzle even for me. **_Kyûbi answered calmly.

Naruto smiled a little at this, after all Kyûbi was the one living being who knew him.

_**You're always wearing a cleverly made mask. Some part of it is an aspect of your real personality, the one that built these iron walls around your heart. The others are fake, like your cheerfulness, as in reality you're dark and sulking most of the time. Your love interest in that weird pink haired, flat chested harridan that the real you can't bear the voice of! Your self confidence... all so perfectly fake that even the best Shinobi can't see through it!**_

As it said that Naruto saw the prideful gleam in its eyes and he smiled again as he knew that even if no one else was, Kyûbi was proud of him.

'At least someone is proud of me... even if it is a demon.' He thought sadly. 'But it won't make him stay now that the gates are gone...'

His smile instantly disappeared, replaced by a sour expression showing his inner torment.

Kyûbi must have seen this because its tails tightened around him in a comforting gesture.

_**Kit if you want to survive this you'll have to let your walls down. Show yourself to the world. **_Kyûbi whispered.

Naruto closed his eyes knowing that Kyûbi was right: he could not stay here forever! He would eventually have to come out...

He could not let the villagers get the better of him! Even if his armor had failed, he would continue. They would not destroy him! He would not let them... They hated him for no reason, he would give them a reason! He would become the living proof of their mistakes! He would show them what they have done for him, to him. They thought he was a ruthless killer, a demon without feeling so he would become the emotionless Killer machine they wanted! He would rub it in their faces!

Naruto throw a last look at the demon beast. It would have been great if he had company for that. But he could not ask for the beast to stay now that it was free.

-.-

Shizune's POV:

-.-

It had been three long days since he had slipped into a coma. Tsunade and Shizune had worked day in and day out to heal him, they had managed to do the best part of it; he would be able to use his right arm again but they could not do much for his face maybe with a little of luck, he would be able to see with his right eye again but until he woke up, Shizune could only hope.

She stroke his hair as she watched him sleeping, his chest raising and falling in the regular rhythm signaling that he was asleep. She felt so useless... She had wanted to be a medic to help her loved one. And here she was, and all she could do was waiting and hope.

"You're worrying us Naruto please wake up..." She pleaded. "We are all waiting for you. Sasuke is an emotional wreck: each day, he comes to Tsunade-hime-sama's office asking where you are and when she won't answer, he throws a tantrum about Tsunade-hime being an incompetent Hokage who does not know where her own Shinobi are... It's quite amusing, I'm sure you would laugh..."

A heavy silence settled in the room. She just wanted him to answer, to laugh but he would not... He could not. He was just lying here, sleeping. He seemed to be quite animated in his sleep, sometimes she could see a smile forming on his lips but soon it was replaced by a frown or a sad expression. She wondered what he was dreaming about.

Was he dreaming about Konoha? Was he dreaming of a better world where everyone would see him as the hero he was?

"Don't worry Naruto, we haven't spoken of it to anyone, the only ones who know are Tsunade-sama, Kakashi-san, Ibiki-san and me. We've arrested everyone involved in your attack... I'm so sorry Naruto... If I had known... I could have protected you..."

Tears were streaming down her face as she spoke.

'I've been crying a lot recently.' She though looking down at Naruto's face.

Even scared as he was he looked like an angel. She bent down and kissed his forehead.

"Come back to us Naruto." She whispered pleadingly watching Naruto one last time before turning away.

"Shi... Shizune-neesan?" A voice croaked as she was about to leave the room.

She turned around to see Naruto's head turned toward her and he smiled at her.

"Hi!"

-.-

Tsunade's POV:

-.-

Shizune stormed in Tsunade's office without even knocking. She seemed quite agitated, her black hair all over the place, her breathing short and irregular and her Kimono a mess.

"What is it Shizune?" Tsunade asked briskly.

"He's awake Tsunade-sama! He asked after you." Shizune said in a breath.

Tsuande did not even let her finish her sentence but run towards Naruto's room. Her only thought: 'He's finally awake!'

She entered the room, her Hokage's robe blowing and her blond hair falling over her face.

"Naruto!" She exclaimed.

He was sitting on his bed white sheet covering his legs, in his blue and white hospital clothes. He raised his head and Tsunade could see a smile spreading on his face.

"Hey Tsunade-baa-san!" He said quietly.

She ignored the insult and took him in a bear hug.

"Never do that to me ever again!" She said, trying to hold back her tears.

"It's okay, Tsunade-baa-san." He said petting her back.

'Shouldn't I be the one petting his back?' She asked herself suddenly realizing the situation she was in.

She gulped as she pushed back off him. She observed him in silence: his smile had disappeared and he was biting his lip, surely waiting for Tsunade to speak. His eyes were boring into her very soul and then it hit her, his eyes! His right eye was opened! She could have screamed in joy if it was not for the color of this eye: it was purple with tinge of red in the outer part, the pupil was slitted and of the purest black.

Had the Kyûbi something to do with this? Could Naruto see with this eye? Or was it just the window on the outer-world that Kyûbi must have long for for years?

Naruto shifted a little. She raised her head to meet with his questioning eyes.

"Naruto... you've been burnt on twenty five percent of your body, we've managed to heal the better part of it but..." Her voice was hoarse and she though she would never be able to finish this God damn sentence but she had to. "But...we couldn't do anything for your face..."

She looked away from Naruto not wanting to see the hurt surely written all over his face and she waited for Naruto to scream at her, to cry, do something but nothing came...

She turned to look at him again, his expression was one of calmness. He did not even seem upset as he watched Tsunade with a sad smile, eyes shining with regrets.

He let out a small sighed.

"Shizune-nee-san already told me... " He said.

His voice was coarse and Tsunade knew how painful it must be for him to speak, forcing the air through his vocal cords, advancing his head a little and stopping at each word.

"I need to ask you again. Do you know who did this to you? I know you..." Tsunade asked desperately wanted Naruto to finally accept her help.

"I know them... and I also know you already arrested them."

Tsunade was gasping like a fish out of the water, he finally accepted her help. After all those years...

She could see the familiar glint of determination in his eyes and hope bloom in her heart that for once he would let them do him justice.

"I call upon the law of Konoha and I ask to choose their punishment... And I want to be the one to confront them."

She looked at him eyes wide to see his dead serious expression: He was glaring at her, mouth set in a thin line and his eyes as cold as Sasuke's: no emotion passing through them.

"Don't look at me like that!" He finally snapped.

A smile appeared on his lips and he tilted his head to the left.

"I have to study the law in order to become Hokage."

"Yes but..." Tsunade said.

She had wanted, hoped he would call on Konoha's law. But was he ready for confrontation?

"No buts I'm fine! I'm recognized as an adult so I can make this sort of decision!" Naruto cut Tsunade out of her though.

"Ok but I want a total shake up before you go anywhere! And I'll have them ready in my office." She said as she knew she had no chance to change his mind.

He smiled at her again and took out a mask from under his sheet.

'Where did that come from? Maybe Shizune gave it to him...' Tsunade mussed.

He put it on his face and Tsunade gasped, it was cleverly made, hiding the three quarter of his face that were not burnt while the rest of his face was still visible through the transparent healing mask, she frowned.

"Why?" She asked.

The mask was done to help him 'heal' his burnt skin, and adding a bit chakra permitted to hide only the burned skin so why hiding the healthy part while showing the burns? Tsunade could not understand.

"You'll see..." He said mysteriously.

-.-

Naruto POV:

-.-

Naruto entered Tsunade's office led by her secretary who, for once, did not look at him as if he was a nuisance but instead shot him a pitying glance as she left the office.

'Hypocrite!' He thought.

She turned to face Tsunade sitting at her desk hands folded under her chin frowning at him, blond hair falling slightly over her face. Behind and to her right stood Shizune, she had an uneasy expression on her face as if she was dreading the forthcoming encounter with Naruto's aggressors. Her black eyes flitting around the room, probably to make sure there was nothing which could be used to harm him, and all the while she was playing with her thumbs nervously. She shook her head and looked at him smiling uneasily and passing her tongue over her lips.

'Hmm... She should worry about them more than me because I don't know if I'll be able to contain myself facing the ones who destroyed my carefully constructed armor!'

His eyes landed on Kakashi who had just entered the room. He was still wearing that damn mask of his but Naruto could see the wary gleam in his eye as he approaches him. Silently he placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder in what one could call a comforting gesture.

"Kakashi-sensei..." Naruto acknowledged.

Kakashi nodded back at him, never the talkative one especially when he got serious.

"As you asked, you'll face the three who attacked you." Tsunade began.

Naruto walked over to an armchair and turned it so it was facing the door before sitting down, his back to Tsunade.

"I'm ready." Naruto said taking a deep breath.

He watched as Kakashi slowly walked to the door and disappeared behind it. He reappeared a few seconds later followed by Ibiki's imposing form and three sleep deprived, starved-looking prisoners chained one to another by heavy iron manacles attached to their feet, hands and a collar around their neck.

All three were staring down at their feet in submission, surely the result of Ibiki's torture. They looked like wild animals that had just been tamed trying to find away out of their new condition and most of all, they reeked of fear. Naruto could see the bloodshot eyes of the man on the left darting everywhere as if looking for an escape from his current predicament.

"You're here to be judged for crimes of attempted murder of a fellow Konoha citizen and treachery. Having already made a confession, you are judged guilty of both crimes."

The three prisoners bowed their heads further down, slumping even further where they stood.

"As requested by the victim and as the laws of Konoha allow, the victim will choose your punishment."

Three heads shot up and turned to Naruto in unison, paling instantly as they realized that their fate was now in his hands, the hands of the one they tried to kill.

The woman's grey eyes landed on him, he watched her horse-like face passing from deathly white to crimson red with anger. Her grey eyes seemed ready to pop out of their sockets and there was a hint of saliva on the left side of her mouth as she opened it.

"What!" The woman screeched "That monster has no right to..."

She shut her mouth instantly as her eyes met Tsunade's death glare and lowered her head, arms in front of her face protectively. He could see her bitten nails and remembered that her nails were perfectly polished and French manicured the day she had attacked him, he could still feel her nails like claw ripping the flesh of her cheeks.

"The victim..." Tsunade said in a cold deadly voice, drawing Naruto out of my musing, "will now state your punishment."

Naruto raised his chin and contract his muscles to make myself look taller than he really was and looked directly into the woman's darkened eyes. He remembered: she was the worst, the one who burned him. He stared at her with what he hoped, were unemotional eyes.

"I want their tongues to be cut out and their mouths seal..." He began, my voice as steady as he could make it.

FLASHBACK

He had been screaming in agony as he had felt my flesh burning from the chemical.

"Shut your mouth!" The woman had snarled, "Or I'll cut out your tongue."

He had closed his mouth trying to hold back the scream, and she had poured the chemical on his lips in an attempt to seal them. Naruto had tried not to open my mouth to scream in agony again as he had felt the flow of Kyûbi's Chakra already healing some of the damage, Tears burning their way down his cheeks.

FLASHBACK END

The woman's eyes widened.

"No! No! No!" She screamed hysterically.

She tried to get free pulling on her chains, her face white with fury and her eyes wide. She was trying to claw at Naruto her bony fingers mere inches away from Naruto's face as Ibiki was pulling on the chains trying to restrain her.

"...and I want them to be passed before the villagers. The case shall be exposed as the law says it to be and the villagers shall choose the way they will die." Naruto said raising his voice so it drowned out the woman's and staring straight into her eyes as she was being pulled away with a harsh pull on the chains from Ibiki.

She collapsed on her knees snarling, her face contorting in an almost bestial fury.

'She really looks like a rat.' Naruto thought with a smirk as he watched her being tugged like a dog.

"I agree." Tsunade answered as the pre-formulation written down in the law states.

Naruto closed my eyes savoring the moment, hearing the woman's screams. He opened his eyes and watched the three prisoners being dragged out of the room, the woman screaming and kicking but the two men seemed to have accepted their fate as they looked down away from the woman.

"Are you sure about that Naruto?" Kakashi asked after Ibiki had left.

"They have to be punished Kakashi. Don't worry..." I said.

Suddenly all goes black and Naruto collapsed in someone's arms.

'It's surely Kakashi.' Naruto thought before his mind went blank.

-.-

Time skip

-.-

Naruto woke up to feel the left side of his face burning again. he tried moving but found himself wrapped in a sheet rendering him almost helpless. After struggling for a few minutes, he finally got his right arm out of the binding material and grabbed the pot of cream from the bedside table. Carefully, he applied a generous amount of the cream to his burned skin and almost immediately the burning sensation lessened and disappeared. He was suddenly aware that he was in a comfortable bed covered with clean smelling sheets which had been tucked tightly around him with what he imagined would be the utmost care of a loving mother.

'This is warm...' He thought. 'It's the first time I have ever been tucked in bed.'

He smiled to myself.

'That feels really good, as if someone really cares about me...'

His smile faltered.

'They don't care for me... they pity me... that's all there is to it... I shouldn't get my hopes up so high... that's already cost me enough...'

He untangled himself and threw the warm sheet off the bed to get up. He picked up his mask that was lying on the bedside table with the cream and placed it over his face. He had made this mask himself using the one Shizune gave me as a guide, a transparent mask enhanced with chakra to hide the burnt skin of his face. She thought that it would be of some use... for who?

'Not for me.' Naruto though bitterly. 'It's more for them, so they can continue ignoring their mistakes...'

Naruto had smashed it into small pieces and then put them back together like a jigsaw so that it now covered the smooth, healthy part of his face, he had reorganised the chakra pathway to be able to hide either part his face at will. He shook his head and began to prepare: dressing in baggy black pants, a long sleeved black shirt and fingerless gloves with iron protectors on the back. He put his headband on like Ibiki, using it to cover his blonde hair which was a dead give away to everyone: no one in this village had the same color hair as him. Even if some unobservant civil, like the Hokage's secretary, could be fooled.

He looked on the shelf beneath his bedside table where several of my weapons were stacked tidily: his Shuriken and Kunai holders and his scrolls, all together in a neat little pile. He considered taking his weapons with him for a short moment but finally decided against it. Weapons could frighten the villagers as they would see him as an aggressive kind of person which would not do him any good for what he had in mind. But, he decided to hide some weapons just in case: needles in the sleeve of his shirt and in the waist of his pants. Just as he finished there was a muffled knock at the door and Shizune entered the room in her usual black kimono.

"Naruto-kun? Are you ready?" She asked with an unsure smile gracing her features as she walked over to the bed. "Let me see your burn."

Naruto felt her cold finger lightly caressing his burn and her chakra flowing through her fingers on his cheek.

"All is fine..." She said smiling sadly at him.

He got the impression that she would have preferred if something was amiss so he would not have to go to the sentencing.

"I'll walk with you there if you want, Naruto-kun." She offered.

He did not answer; instead he narrowed his eyes looking deep into hers. 'I don't like the pity she's feeding me with!'

At his lack of response, she looked straight at him worriedly biting her thin lips slightly.

"Yes, Shizune-nee-san." he finally said.

Nodding, she took the lead and we exited the room. Walking slowly, he followed a pace behind her as she leaded him out into the biggest open area in Konoha where a wooden stage had been hurriedly erected. He walked up to the stage leaving Shizune behind him

.

"I have to go help Tsunade-sama. Naruto-kun, can you wait there?" Shizune whispered in his ear.

He nodded and she walked off glancing sadly at him as if it were him who was to be judged. Naruto moved to stand on the farther end of the built stage, hidden in the shadows just behind the audio system. He watched as Ibiki leaded the three prisoners, tugging on the chains to force them to climb quicker onto the stage. Ibiki's face was closed letting no emotion showed as always; but his body was more tensed than usual, his large scarred hands clenched firmly around the metallic chains he was holding. Naruto's eyes latched onto the first prisoner: one of the two men who raped him. For the first time, he got a good look at him: he was quite young and tall about 1m 80 (1), not handsome but not ugly either. His hair was pitch black like his eyes and his turned up nose must have been broken during their interrogation. His eyes were void of any emotion and he looked now like a cow obediently and slowly walking to its death. His mouth was sealed by thin black surgical thread and he had three ugly, angry red scars running down his left cheek, surrounded by bluish purplish skin: it was infected and must be very painful...

'I've done that.' He thought with satisfaction.

His lips curled upward in a sinister painful smile but no one could see: it safely hidden behind his mask. He saw people enter the small area, brought in by the sound of the chains being pulled. Curious, they stood watching the three prisoners stumbling as they climbed onto the stage. Ibiki secured them so they were facing the increasing crowd and stood beside them menacingly. He diverted him gaze back to the prisoners again and watched the second prisoner: The second man was a fraction shorter than the first and quite handsome with sharp, well defined features. He remembered the ugly smile on his pretty face as he entered him saying those disgusting words... he gritted his teeth as the memories come back to him. Naruto glared at him intensely and had the satisfaction of seeing his once lively colored face, now a grayish white shade and his lustrous full lips were swollen and sealed shut similar to his brother's. His eyes were cast down so Naruto could not see them, but he could imagine that they were as lifeless as his comrade's. Under the mask, his smirk widened as he saw the nearly hidden bite wound on his neck, it looked ugly and the chain was rubbing on it probably making it even more painful than it looked. Naruto remembered biting him on the neck to try and make him stop, the taste of his blood on his tongue as he teared at his flesh. He had never been as happy to have fangs, than when he heard that man pain filled scream echoing through the small cabin.

His eyes finally rest on the last of the trio:

'THAT woman, she BURNT me! That bitch.' Naruto thought glaring at her fragile looking form.

In opposition to the two men, she stood proudly erect her head held high and an expression of sheer arrogance on her rat-like face. Her eyes were not as bright as they were on the day she attacked me, but they still hold the same traces of determination, pride and hatred. She tossed her head to move the lock of hair falling over her eyes, sure that the villagers' judgment would be in her favor. That Bitch! Naruto could not wait to see her expression when she realized that the villagers that bunch of ignorant, ungrateful sheep, would sentence her to the most painful and humiliating death they could think up.

'Ah! If only she knew the villagers as well as I do...'

Naruto's smirk widened into a sadistic grin under the mask, he was going to enjoy every minute of this. Diverting his eyes back to the crowd which had now grown to quite a respectable size during my musings, he watched as Tsunade walked over to him, a grim expression on her face as she placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Shall we?" She asked in a whisper.

He nodded, readjusted his mask and watched as the Hokage walked up to the front of the stage. He looked at the front row to see Sakura and Ino bickering like a pair of five year-olds about something, probably about the reason for this meeting. Hinata was standing next to the aloof looking Neji, biting her lip and playing with her fingers as Kiba, who was standing beside her yelled some unintelligible insults at Shino who just ignored him completely. Chouji and Shikamaru were not here, they were on mission the last Naruto heard.

Who would have though that the chubby, gentle Chouji would become a Jounin? Even if it was for the sake of his family, Naruto never thought he would go so far, he thought he would become a teacher like Iruka, he certainly had all the quality for it.

Kakashi was also absent and almost certainly on a mission. Naruto could see Iruka-sensei to the front of the crowd trying to get his students to stand still and be silent. Naruto smiled as he saw Udon, his arm in a cast and Moegi speaking joyfully with the ever so curious Konohamaru who was sporting his brand new Chûnin vest. Behind them, their Jounin sensei, the closet pervert, Ebisu was watching them with his hawk like eyes hidden behind his customary round black glasses. He scanned through the crowd again hoping to see Sasuke...

"Ah There he is!" Naruto whispered to himself.

At the very far end of the crowd standing motionless like a statue on the roof of a house, Sasuke was watching Naruto with a frown. Naruto locked his gaze with his briefly before averting his eyes quickly, fearing he would recognize him.

"We are here..." Tsunade began in a strong, cold voice speaking so all could hear her in the microphone.

Silence immediately descended upon the crowd and every head turned toward us, eyes eagerly scanning the stage, from Tsunade to the three prisoners and then finally landing on Naruto. He sensed the looks, the pity as they saw him half-hiding in the shadows.

"...to sentence TOKUJI Ayuki, TOKUJI Kattari and TOKUJI Kimiko. They have been judged guilty of the attempted murder of a fellow citizen of Konoha and conspiracy to commit murder."

The crowd made a horrified noise and Naruto saw Sakura paled visibly then starting talking to Ino again in a hurried whisper. Soon he could hear Ino loudly exclaimed: "Impossible!"

Some of the crowd began to yell their idea's for a fitting punishment like 'hang them' or 'feed them to the forest's giant tigers'. That made him smile, which was painful and pulled at the burnt skin of his face but he did not care, as Tsunade continued.

"As the law states the case will be presented to you by the victim himself."

Tsunade gestured to him and he slowly took the few steps forward drawing a deep breath as he emerged into full view and finally everybody could take a good look at my burnt face. He sensed Sasuke's intense gaze on him but he looked away trying to ease the pressure he was feeling under this very public and uncomfortable scrutiny. He had wanted it after all.

He took a deep breath fixing his eyes on some unknown person in the middle of the crowd and began reading the report that Tsunade handed to him.

"During the night of October the sixth, TOKUJI Ayuki, TOKUJI Kattari and TOKUJI Kimiko have been recognized as the perpetrators of an attack on a Shinobi of the leaf and fellow citizen of Konoha as he was returning from a mission.

Conspiring between them, they premeditated their act by demanding a high ranking mission from the Hokage and insisting that their soon-to-be victim should be the one to accomplish the aforementioned mission and collect an item which was in fact poisoned.

When the Shinobi in question came back having completed the mission successfully but now contaminated with the poison, the three defendants attacked the Shinobi. The poison running through the Ninja's system was supposed take him out but fortunately the action of the poison was slower than anticipated and he was merely weakened at that point. Nonetheless, the defendants managed to take him out, threatening to press charges against him with false accusations if he did not follow them and do as they wished."

'Who wrote this report? Geez!' He frowned at the printed words but he found that was definitely more painful than smiling. 'On the other hand, it kind of makes it unreal as if I'm describing what happened to someone else and not to me ...'

He stopped, biting down on his lower lip. He added a few facts like the threats they made: He wanted the village to know all what happened. He looked up at the crowd. The Shinobi, not liking their code of honor being used in such an ugly way, were sending murderous glares at the prisoners making the two males quiver in fear and bow their heads almost to the floor trying to hide behind their greasy dark hair. The woman, however, was still standing proud, glaring defiantly back at the Shinobi with her glittering gray eyes as if trying to defy them, her sealed lips forming a contented smile as if she was pleased with what Naruto just said.

'Whore!' Clenching his fists hard, he felt his nails dug into the flesh of his hands and started to bleed.

It felt good to feel the blood dripping down forming small patterns on the stage, washing a bit of the pain away with a new one. But he had no time to dwell on the feeling. He took another deep breath trying to keep calm as he opened his fists slowly and closed them again and again. He started to speak in the hushed silence.

"After leading him to an isolated cabin they tied him down, continually threatening him with charges for attacking civilians without provocation. Then they began to torture the Shinobi, raping him with numerous blunt object and finally they burnt the right part of his upper body and face with chemical products. As they were well aware chemical burns are practically impossible to heal and made sure that their victim would be marked for life physically."

Naruto stopped again breathing heavily, he had to explain their reasons, to finish this and put an end to those culprits: he ABSOLUTLY did not want to give this scum the satisfaction of seeing him break down.

"When asked they gave their reasons why. Their answer was: 'He has no right to look like his Father'" He tried to keep his voice firm and coldly detached.

At this statement the crowd murmured loudly at the unfairness: mothers were yelling at the defendants in horror, husbands and fathers looking down sorrowfully at their children held tightly in their mothers arms, were breathing heavily surely thinking of what they would have done if that had happened to their child.

But what caught Naruto's attention was Sakura's reaction: She was glaring daggers at the prisoners, he could easily picture the inner-Sakura pushing Sakura to yell her anger out. And yell she did, with a force that stilled the increasing noise of the crowd.

"HOW DARE YOU! A fellow Shinobi! Someone who would give his life to save your pathetic existence and you... You... Bitch, Whore! Do you not understand what you've done? Even if this Shinobi has anything that could be held against him, you have NO RIGHT to take retribution! Now Shinobi will think twice before saving civilians... thinking that maybe they will be attacked and stabbed in the back... You don't deserve to live! Feed them to the dogs!" She finished her childish rant panting heavily and glaring at the woman.

Naruto wondered if Sakura really understood the meaning of what she had just said. Now people and Shinobi alike would be wary of each other. Naruto felt a sense of accomplishment. He had wanted that, he would not have declared it so bluntly but...

He mused, he should have seen it coming this sort of outburst was so typical of Sakura: she was clever but never knew when to shut her mouth and she was also one of the less open minded and tolerant people Naruto knew. However, Naruto suspected that she knew the woman to be that harsh and well, that would change anything for him.

The crowd was silent and still; most of the civilians were pale and watching the surrounding Shinobi worriedly who were glaring daggers at the prisoners, ignoring the worried glances of the civilians. If only looks could really kill. Naruto looked sadly down at the sniveling children crying in their mother's skirts scared by the outburst of the 'pink monster'.

No, he would not feel pity for those children! Had he not be once in their stead? Being yelled at without understanding why?

"Yeah, EXECUTE THEM, they shouldn't be allowed to live!" Came a cry from the back of the crowd.

The call was quickly taken up by the rest and soon the area rang with cries calling for the death of the defendants.

Naruto looked at the prisoners again: the woman's smile had morphed into an ugly grim line, her eyes were livid and as the last flicker of hope disappeared, the light of madness glittering dangerously close. She tried in vain to open her sealed mouth to scream, to justify herself and her actions to make them understand. She took a few steps towards the crowd pulling on her chain but only caused herself and her brothers to fall.

Naruto looked at the two prostrate males trying to ignore their accomplice and make themselves invisible. The smaller one turned his lifeless eyes to the woman whose face was now hidden by lank, greasy black and grey hair and glared accusingly at her before tugging on the chains forcing her to bow down with them. She tried again to resist but finally gave up, bowing her head low crying out her despair and waiting for her fate.

-.-

Sasuke:

-.-

He looked at the road which laid before him, eyes dark and emotionless as always. He kicked the soil, causing a small cloud of dust to rise up in front of him obscuring the road. He had to go to this meeting by order of the Hokage and so had come as always, following orders like the good little tool he was. He could not care less about this meeting and some Shinobi being tricked like a stupid Genin. All he wanted to know was where the hell was Naruto! It had been three days now since he had last seen the other Ninja, and he was sure Naruto had not been sent off on a long term mission outside the village like the old woman had said, he snorted at the term he had picked up from the blonde. Naruto would have told him if he was going on a long term mission, would he not?

Leaping onto the rooftops for a better view, he listened to the screams of the crowd baying for blood and shouting all sorts of different ways in which the prisoners should be killed.

He snorted, he should not be wasting his time like this; but that old hag, as Naruto so rightfully called her, had been very strict at the last Jounin's assembly: she wanted all the mission-freed Jounin to be present (that was a lot since she did not give any missions out to anyone except Kakashi), no excuses would be accepted. Even though she was a woman, she was still a Sannin and a Hokage and he surely did not want to face her wrath.

Now he had lost a good two hours listening to this sorry excuse for a Shinobi as he related his pathetic case. He could have done a lot of things during those hours, like sharpening his Katana, training for his ANBU exam that would take place hopefully soon, or searching for Naruto.

Speaking of which, he should begin his search now. He wandered over the rooftops slowly heading to Naruto's apartment hoping to find some clues that would lead him to where Naruto could be hiding.

'Because he must be hiding...' Sasuke thought glaring at the roof tiles. 'There is no other solution. But why would Naruto be hiding? Is he hiding from me?'

Sasuke dropped down onto the wooden decking at Naruto's apartment and began to slowly climb the old stairs. Arriving in front of the flat, he looked at the door: it did not close properly anymore, the orange-red paint was peeling off and if you looked close enough you could make out the slight trace of black paint forming letters. Sasuke pushed the door softly and stepped through as it opened into a small corridor.

The first thing Sasuke noticed was there were no shoes on the small paved area of the entry and dust finely coated the small counter. The apartment contained two rooms: the biggest one was where Naruto spent most of his time: it was his kitchen, living-room, dining-room and bedroom all rolled into one. The smallest one was probably a private office, but Sasuke had never set a foot in this room. That was Naruto's 'sanctuary'.

'Surely it's where that Naruto hides his Ramen stock.' Sasuke thought a small smirk creeping onto his face. Naruto always teased him saying that he had forgotten how to smile.

Gazing around, his eyes stopped on Naruto's unmade bed in the farthest corner on the left just under the window whose awning-blind were broken obstructing the view. He always wondered why Naruto had never gotten a futon which would have been much more practical in the tiny apartment.

Sasuke frowned on seeing Naruto's nightcap lying on the pillow: Naruto never ever went on long term missions without his stupid hat. That was all the proof Sasuke needed to know that the old hag was lying. He picked it up feeling the worn fabric. He remembered one of their first week-long training missions as team seven: Naruto had forgotten his 'Walrus' and how he had teased Naruto about being a baby needing a nightcap to sleep in. Naruto had yelled and wailed claiming he was no baby until Sakura punched him upside his head yelling that he was no more than a crybaby. Naruto had pouted, refusing to speak for the rest of the night, not that that had disturbed Sasuke in any way in fact he had been happy for the long hour of silence, but he also refused to sleep even when Kakashi ordered him to. He remembered Naruto fighting the sleep during their Taijutsu training.

'It was one of the only times he avoided all my attacks. It was kind of frustrating...' Sasuke thought with another smirk.

-.-

Naruto:

-.-

Naruto slowly stepped off of the stage, not looking at anyone. He did not want to hear the final judgment so he decided to simply walk away. He slowly circumvented the crowd. It was easy: No-one was paying attention to him anymore, they were all screaming for the three 'poor' souls, Naruto snickered slightly at that thought, on stage to be killed in ways he had not even thought would be possible: gutting them and hanging them with their bowels; burning them alive and then drowning them; feeding them to Anko's white tigers; using the ABURAME bugs to eat them alive: for that one, he could hear the normally quiet ABURAME protesting against this, thinking that their bugs were worth more. In all, Naruto just did not want to hear anything anymore.

He was now faced a problem: where to go?

He did not want to return to the hospital or to the Hokage's tower. Even though, he knew he would have to eventually return to Tsunade's, because his burns would need to be re-dressed. But he did not want to go back just yet...

There was just one place he wanted to go, the place that he had passed all his childhood in. His home sweet home, if you call this dilapidated building that. It was not a palace and he could have moved out a long time ago but he had always found shelter there during the darkest hours of his previous years and even if it was cheap and lousy, he felt safe there even if it had never be safe.

Now he could see his apartment building: the area was currently devoid of any living presence, not that it was habitually full of life. That was not a surprise: Naruto's neighbours were not the wealthiest nor the most educated: he had remarked on it long ago when he had to wash the painted insults on his walls and doors. Plus they were very fond of public lynching: he could tell from personal experiences...

'Like all poor people, they like seeing others in pain and misery; it takes their mind off their own pathetic existence.' Naruto thought shaking his head, an expression of disgust forming on his still covered face.

He bit down on his lip to silence a cry of pain as his burnt skin stretched. A small tear escaped from his left eye and he felt it slide down his cheek and onto his chin. Taking a deep breath he slowly climbed up the worn out stairs. Reaching the top he frowned at the open door, crossing his arms.

Who would enter his apartment? Or rather who could?

He had set a special Jutsu on the door, that Jiraiya had taught him to 'secure' his flat. It was a high ranked technique, especially since it demanded a lot of concentration. It was not very well known and very hard to break; only ANBU would know about this Jutsu but they would rarely use it as it put a constant strain on the Chakra system.

He silently entered his apartment and saw a pair of blue Ninja sandals placed carefully together on the farther corner of the tiled entry. Naruto narrowed his eyes; a sudden piercing pain ran through the right part of his face. Naruto delicately wiped the tears that were forming in the corner of his right eye with his right second and third fingers.

He silently took off his shoes, and placed them near the blue ones. That was when he noticed a small mark on the other shoes. He smiled at the small white and red fan on the sole of the shoes.

'They really are materialistic; they even mark their shoes...' Naruto though fighting done a smile.

"What are you doing here, UCHIHA?" he asked entering the apartment.

-.-

Sasuke:

-.-

Sasuke was startled out of his thoughts by the deep, quiet voice which sounded a lot like Naruto's. He looked up from the nightcap to see who the owner of the voice was, hoping it was Naruto.

But what he saw was not the orange clad Shinobi or so he thought, it was the Ninja that had stood on the stage.

He glared at the young man in front of him, a smug expression on his face, the right part of his lips lifting upward. He put the cap back on the pillow, got up and dusted his pants.

He walked up to the stranger who was now standing in the middle of the living room, he was face to face with the impromptu visitor glaring straight into his lone visible eye.

Sasuke slowly opened his mouth, he was so close to the other that he could feel his breath on his face and smell the mentholated breath, his eyes not leaving the others.

"Tsk, tsk. So you won't answer me UCHIHA?" The stranger asked titling his head slightly on the left exposing his burnt skin to the eyes of the UCHIHA.

"Why would I?" Sasuke answered arrogantly. "The question would be: What are YOU doing here?"

"I LIVE here." The stranger answered smoothly.

"UZUMAKI Naruto lives here." Sasuke answered with growing impatience.

The stranger slowly raised his hand to his mask and Sasuke took a step back into a defensive stance, waiting for an oncoming attack.

The Ninja gripped the hem of his mask with his right hand and slowly, carefully pulled it away revealing his face.

Sasuke's eyes widened when he saw the blue eye, the bluest eye he had never seen and then his eyes slided down on the three rectilinear scars on the smooth skin of the stranger's cheek.

"Na...Naruto?" He stuttered.

The stranger smiled sadly.

"Yes." he simply answered.

He passed Sasuke and went to sit on his bed picking up his cap.

"It's me."

-.-

Scene Change

-.-

She screamed, the sound torn unwillingly, ripping the stitches and her lips with it as a viscous liquid splashed onto her face trailing in small rivulets down to her chin as the metallic taste of blood melded with the sour acidic taste of the burning liquid. She spatted out a mixture of both and shook her head violently, wet hair slapping her face as she screamed out her pain and frustration.

Struggling to move her arms and legs they remained firmly nailed onto a wooden cross. Pulling desperately she attempted to get her hands free but only succeeded in tearing them open. Closing her hands into fists she screamed again this time in agony as the liquid came in contact with her freshly opened wounds. Tears gathered in her grey eyes but she refused to cry. Her mouth mutating into a vicious snarl she tried to contain her tears; loudly breathing in and out keeping a firm control on her emotions.

Her crazed eyes took in the surrounding area before latching onto a man walking slowly towards her position on the cross, a wooden torch in his right hand. With careful exaggeration he lifted the torch making sure she watched each move he made, lifting his left hand up to the torch something glittered silver in the light. Her eyes widening in silent panic as she recognized the shape of a gas-lighter. The panic built up inside her as her breaths became faster and shallower; watching him in horrified fascination as he approached slowly and carefully from the surrounding woods.

The grey haired man crouched in front of her, the now burning torch in his hand. Screaming again she almost begged him to let her down but it seemed like the man was deaf to her pleading voice. Looking up at her directly his hate filled glare pierced her imploring gaze like a knife through the heart. His mouth turned up at one corner in a sardonic smile as his gaze intensified; heart pounding, her gray eyes were caught in the glare of his hatred, his smile grew as he lowered the torch into the dry wood around the base of the cross.

-.-

Scene Change

-.-

He woke up to a horrible smell, a familiar stench that he could not place. Groggily he peeled his eyelids open and blinked several times before the world came into a blurry focus. Mind struggling through the fog, he scrutinized his surroundings by feel. Arms splayed out to either side: he was bound to a wooden cross with thick wires, sand at his feet. Tilting his head to the right at a gentle sound he became suddenly alert as a dark wave crested with white froth broke gently on the sand before retreating back into the dark expanse of water creeping ever closer.

His heart clenched suddenly with fear. Water, he was surrounded by water; breathing in and out rapidly; his fear grew to the point where it could not be contained anymore. Unable to scream without ripping his lips apart hot salty tears began to trail down his cheeks as he felt the cold water graze his toes sending shivers of cold and terror up and down his spine.

Whimpering pathetically as his heart pounded wildly in his chest he prayed silently for rescue but gazing around his heart sank and he looked pointedly away from the ever encroaching water. He did not want to drown but there was to be no last minute reprieve for him, his fate was sealed surrounded by water not another soul in sigh. Head bowed helpless tears continued to fall as the water rose higher.

The sound of something hitting the water made him raise his head in desperate hope once more. That hope quickly shriveled and turned again to fear. Before him, a man stood on the water; not in it but balancing on the surface. His breath caught in his throat as the realization struck him like a physical blow; this man was a ninja, a NINJA... like the demon's vessel... He remembered the pink haired girls' speech about the Shinobi's probable reaction to the incident. He knew with stark realization that this man would not help. He fixed his gaze on the only visible eye of the ninja before him. All that was reflected was a pure, cold, passionate hatred of an intensity he had not thought possible in this world.

His mouth suddenly dry he realized this was it, his time had run out, today was the day he would die: drowned...

-.-

Scene Change

-.-

He refused to open his eyes fearing greatly the scene he would be met with once he did. But no matter how much he did not want to, curiosity ate at his resolve and he opened them if only to see which person was responsible for the blinding pain he was subject to.

Exhaling loudly he opened his eyes. His heart almost stopped in his chest at the sigh of the man before him. Face half covered by a black cloth, mismatched eyes of gray and crimson red. He was now facing the infamous Sharingan no Kakashi. Beads of sweat began to accumulate and roll from his forehead down his cheek before dripping silently off his chin.

**Xx WARNING TORTURE/RAPE SCENE Xx**

Grunting in pain he attempted to spit the blood in his mouth out through swollen lips still sewn together. Feeling the growing need to scream in answer to the pain he inwardly cursed the Jounin as another Katana pierced his skin.

Blood flowed freely down his now disfigured face; his once beautiful visage was now a horrific patchwork of cuts, bruises and blood. All this just because of one little incident.

A smirk of pleasure crept onto his face as he remembered… the taut young body of the Kyûbi vessel quaking in fear as he entered him; the sweet screams escaping those luscious, full, pink lips; the tightness of the blonde's body as he thrust himself further inside again and again and again taking his pleasure in the most savage but, oh such an enjoyable fashion. He knew that was bad, that was forbidden, but the pure ecstatic feeling this kind of sex procured to him was like a drug to him. And that body, so tight around him... was the most delicious he had ever had.

He was brutally brought back to reality by a sudden and unbelievable pain radiating from the lower region of his body. Unable to bear it in silence any longer he finally screamed, ripping his mouth open; his voice high pitched in agony. Looking down, his now watering eyes widened as he began to understand what they were showing him through the sheer agony. A Katana had been inserted roughly into his most personal place. He looked up slowly to eyes filled with cold fury and disgust; with no warning but a glacial hardening of the eyes of the Jounin began to slowly turn the wrist of the hand holding the last Katana……..

Blood bubbled through his mouth, draining down his chin to drip onto the floor whilst his body convulsed uncontrollably. His head lolled forward and he pinned his gaze on the mismatched eyes glaring at him with renewed contempt.

"I had him first..." he finally said smiling at Kakashi, blood cascading down his chin and splattering delicately onto the floor as he began to laugh…..

-.-

Scene Change

-.-

They were both sitting on Naruto's old, faded orange couch. Neither one had uttered a word for a quarter of hour now. The silence stretched out between them as they sat and sat in silence.

'Why is Naruto so fucking quiet?' Sasuke thought angrily.

He stole a glance at Naruto's face and immediately turned away as he saw the angry red burns on Naruto's skin. For the second time in his life, Sasuke did not know what to do. He was sitting next to the person he considered to be his best friend; he wanted to speak with him or rather listen to Naruto babbling about his missions or the weather or even ramen. He wanted to hear his best friend's cheerful voice, but all he received was this deafening silence, choking him.

"Is… Is it painful?" Sasuke asked after a few more minutes, carefully not looking at Naruto.

'Stupid! Of course it's painful...' Sasuke thought, wanting to bump his head against the nearest wall several times at his stupidity.

"Yeah" Naruto answered, eyes still fixed on the low wooden table before him.

Sasuke bit down on his lower lip before bowing his head low, bluish black hair falling over his eyes hiding them from view.

"How long will you be out of commission?" Sasuke whispered.

"Don't know... Must remember to ask..." Naruto answered in a monotone still staring forwards.

Sasuke sighed loudly, chewing on his lower lip.

"Why didn't you defend yourself?" he finally asked trying to stay as calm as possible but his voice betrayed his anxiousness, his anger and confusion.

"They were civilians." Naruto whispered as if the answer would suffice itself.

"But they attacked you! You should have defended yourself!" Sasuke shouted turning to face Naruto, exasperated by his friend's lack of response, Sharingan blazing in his eyes.

"Why should I have?"

Sasuke shot to his feet eyes wide with incredulity.

"Why should you? WHY SHOULD YOU?" He yelled at Naruto seizing his arms, forcing the blonde to meet his gaze.

Naruto looked at him in confusion for a moment.

"What? No one wants me here! For the few who actually care for me, I'm nothing more than a bother, a burden slowing them down" Naruto answered turning sharply away from Sasuke's piercing stare.

"What are you talking about? You are and never will be a burden!" Sasuke stated, his voice harsh.

Naruto flinched at the tone and tried to get away from Sasuke, but his grip was too strong and Naruto only succeeded in making Sasuke tighten his grip. Naruto could feel the bruises beginning to form on his upper arms.

"LOOK AT ME NARUTO!" Sasuke yelled desperately shaking Naruto. "LOOK AT ME FOR KAMI'S SAKE!"

Naruto turned his head farther away from Sasuke's gaze, his eyes fixed on the half empty Ramen cup laying on the Tatami just a few meters away. He looked at the white substance formed on the grease of the soup and the cockroaches eating away at the last of the noodles. Naruto suddenly felt like the Ramen cup, empty, used, trash and Sasuke was a cockroach coming to eat him away, finding nourishment from his distress, living from his pain.

"You should get out..." Naruto whispered.

His eyes were still fixed on the cup as more and more cockroaches came in an unorganized order, quickly eating away the last of the moldy noodles.

"What?" Sasuke asked confused, releasing his grip slowly and glaring at Naruto's burnt profile.

"You should get out of my house." Naruto said between his teeth refusing to look his friend in the eyes.

'I don't need pity, from anyone... especially not from him...' Naruto thought as the anger rose through his system building and building, stronger and stronger.

Red chakra began to swirl around Naruto's shaking form, his eyes turned red and a small part of his burnt skin began to heal, changing from the angry, blotchy red to the same smooth tan as the rest of his face. His whiskers on the un-burnt part of his face were thinner and longer and his canines became razor sharp.

"GET OUT OF MY HOUSE, NOW!" Naruto roared, his red chakra flaring out of control as he stood to face the Uchiha.

The huge wave of malevolent Chakra hit Sasuke square in the chest flinging him through the window sending small shards of glass all around.

Naruto could feel the blood running from superficial cuts caused by the flying glass as he stared at the broken window. He could feel the demon chakra already healing his cuts and the blood slowly drying on his face and arms but he did not care, he would not care. ANBU would soon be here, he knew; this little display of his temper would not have passed unnoticed: he was right.

Seconds later a four man ANBU team surrounded him in his home. One held Naruto by the neck, Kunai just under his jugular ready to slit his throat at the first wrong move. Another, perched on the windowsill, had driven needles into Naruto's vital points, with more dangling between his fingers as he waited for a move or an order to pierce the last point finishing his technique, killing the demon vessel. A third one crouched in attack position before Naruto, Katana drawn and ready to plunge into his heart. The Captain stood to the side, arms crossed over his chest, radiating unadulterated hate pure and unfettered. Naruto narrowed his eyes. He too was an ANBU, he knew their technique. He would certainly not them kill him. He made the first move...

Moments later a head rolled across the floor and came to rest beside the couch…….

**The End**

(1): He is around Kakashi's height.

This Story is officially Finished. I did not add much from the original version and the end is purposely left open.

Nevertheless, I won't write more! Because it would defeat the purpose of the end.

Thank you very much for reading and supporting me.


End file.
